Since the majority had expressed their desire for a courthouse the commissioners in February, 1873, set on foot the arrangements for plans, and those presented by T. P. Allen were accepted. These called for a brick structure with stone foundation, two stories, dome, main part with an ell. Meanwhile various schemes for inducing the commissioners to locate farther from the center of town by offering land, with a view to enhancing the values of land adjoining, were under consideration. After having turned down several such plans and pronounced in favor of the block donated by the city, the commissioners rather suddenly changed their decision and accepted four blocks between Second and Fourth streets, a quarter mile north of Main Street. A first-class ruction arose over this decision. Changes were made in the plans also, by which the building was reduced in size and dignity. Finally, as Gilbert says, with some degree of keenness, "the last act, and under the circumstances, the most judicious one, was not to erect the building at all."
After this the courthouse plans rested awhile, and no action was taken until after county division. The question of constitutional convention, however, kept pegging away, and in the election of 1874, the result was similar to that of previous elections, 24 for, and 236 against.
It will be found of value to incorporate here the list of Territorial Delegates and Governors. Walla Walla was well represented in the list, both before and after county division, as also both before and after statehood.
TERRITORIAL DELEGATES
1857—I. I. Stevens, democrat.
1859—I. I. Stevens, democrat.
1861—W. H. Wallace, republican.
1863—George E. Cole, democrat—from Walla Walla.
1865—A. A. Denny, union.
1867—Alvin Flanders, union—from Walla Walla.